Tobacco lath puller



92 1943. w c. H; WEIDMAN, SR 2,337,216

TOBACCO LATH FULLER Filed April 28, 1942 myzamraa A ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 21,1943

UNITED STATES PATENT ,OFFI

TOBACCO LATH PULLER. Charles H. Weidman, Sr., Manheim, Pa. Application April 28, 1942, Serial No. 440,871

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in machines for withdrawing lathsor similar supports from tobacco stalks. 1 i

It is presently customary to suspend tobacco from laths or similar supports in the process of drying. The removal of the tobacco, after curing, presents a problem which my invention is designed to improve.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device that will materially facilitate the .removal of the tobacco from the lath or similar support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and particularly effective and rapid in operation.

The invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a lath pulling machine embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 2.

' Figure 5 is a side elevational view illustrating the machine in use.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, the improved machine is generally designated by the reference numeral 8 and includes a base 9 and plant holding member which extends upwardly from the rear end of the base and is attached thereto by any desired means. The base 9 and member l0 may be made )1 wood or any other material suitable for the aurpose, the base 9 adapted to be mounted upon ind secured to a table or other suitable support I, as shown in Figure of the drawing.

The lath pulling means includes upper and ower rollers l2 and I3 respectively, maintained :1 spaced relation and adapted to rotate in oppoite directions. The lower roller I3 is mounted -n a shaft 4, the ends of said shaft being jouralled in supports l5 which are attached to and xtend forwardly of the holding member ID. A rooved pulley I6 is mounted on the shaft I4 for effecting rotation of said shaft and roller l3. As best shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, an electric motor I! of conventional construction is bolted or otherwise secured to the base 9 and its armature shaft l 8 has a pulley l9 mounted thereon. The pulleys l6 and I9 are united by means of a belt 20 whereby rotation of the armature shaft I 8 will rotate said pulleys to drive the shaft [4.

The upper roller I2 is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 2| carried by a U-shaped support 22. The shaft 2| is fixed to the front ends of the sides 23 of the support 22 and the cross bar 24 of said support is connected by means of bolts or the like 25 to the front face of the plant holding member l0. As shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, the bolts 25 are mounted below the center of the cross bar 24 and have coil springs 26 held thereon by means of nuts 21. This construction permits the upper roller to yield upwardly, as shown in dotted lines, whereby to adapt the machine for pulling laths of different thicknesses.

The member ID is provided with an opening 28 through which the laths are inserted to be pulled through the machine by means of the rollers I2 and I3. The rollers in turn are so arranged with relation to the opening 28 that they will engag the end of the lath inserted within the rollers thereby pulling the lath as the member I!) holds the tobacco plants, to effect removal of the plants from the lath. The rollers I2 and 3 are preferably formed with a cormgated external surface as indicated at 29 to create a greater frictional contact with the laths.

The shaft of each roller carries a spur gear 30 and 3| respectively, the spur gear 3| being mounted on the shaft 4 on the inside of the pulley 6. The meshing of the gear 30 with the gear 3| will drive the roller I2 thereby afiording an increased pulling grip on the lath. The spurs on the gears are relatively long to compensate for the rollers being spread-apart on account of the various thickness of the lath.

From the above description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is believed that the operation of the machine is readily apparent. As shown in Figure 5, the lath 32 on which are supported the stalks of tobacco 33, is inserted through the opening 28 in such a manner that the tobacco is disposed in a horizontal position. The motor I 'l is operated to drive the rollers I2 and 3 in the manner previously described and when said rollers are en gaged by the lath, it will be pulled entirely through the opening 28. As the lath is moved 2 through the rollers, the tobacco will be held by the member Ill and, upon complete removal of the lath, will fall to the table II. This means f removing the tobacco from the lath is relaively rapid and injury thereto is substantially precluded. i Also it will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and,

therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect'the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lath pulling machine a support having a vertical section provided with a lath receiving opening, a transversely disposed roller rotatably mounted on the support, a member having parallel side portions projecting from the vertical support section, an auxiliary roller rotatably supported on the said side portions in position to co-operate with the first mentioned roller for pulling a lath through the said open ing, and means resiliently connecting the said member to the vertical support section whereby to allow resilient elevation of the side portions and roller carried thereby.

2. In a lath pulling machine including a base, a member attached to said base and extending upwardly at right angles thereto, said member formed with an opening throught which one end of a lath is inserted, a pair of supports secured to said member, a roller carried by said supports, a U-shaped member mounted on said vertical member above said supports, a roller carried by said U-shaped member and held in spaced relation above said first mentioned roller with said rollers disposed in front of said opening, and means for securing said U-shaped support to said vertical member whereby its roller will yield upwardly to adapt the machine for pulling laths of different thicknesses.

CHARLES H. WEIDMAN, SR. 

